Lawn roller and mower.



PATENTED APR. 25, 1905.

H. C. SLATER. LAWN ROLLER AND MOWBR.

APPLIGATON FILED NOV. 15.1902.

SSHEBTS--SHEET 1.

No. 787,952. PATENTED APR. 25, 1905. H. G. SLATER.

LAWN ROLLER AND MOWBR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.15.1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATBNTED APR. 25, 1905.

H. C. SLATER.

LAWN ROLLER AND MOWBR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15.1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

`IINITETD 4STATES Patented April 25, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE..

HOWARD O. SLA'IER, OF RIDLY PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO IVILLIAM P. SIMPSON, OF OVERBROOK, PENNSYLVANIA.

LAWN ROLLER AND IVIOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,952, dated April 25, 1905.

Application filed November 15,1902. Serial No. 131,563.

Be it known that I, Howam) C. SLATER, a citizen of the United States, residing' at Ridley Park, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Lawn Rollers and Mowers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lawn rollers and cutters, and especially to that class of rollers or cutters driven by motive power; and my invention consists in means lfor connecting the main and swiveling frames and in means for supporting the cutter-frame to maintain the bearings of the latter from Contact with the ground during normal cutting' operations while properly regulating' the height of the cut as fully as set Vforth hereinafter, and as illustrated in thc accompanying' drawings, in whichW Figure l is a side view of a lawn roller and mower embodying' my invention; Fig. E2, a plan; Fig. 3, an enlarg'ed section on the line 3 3, Fig. L); Fig. i, a front View of Fig'. 3; Figs. and 6, views illustrating'modilications.

The engine, generator, and burner or other source of motor-power are supported upon a main frame A, having' its bearing at one end upon the axle l of the traction roller or rollers C, (the same sometimes being' made in two sections.) and the forward end of the main frame is supported by a rolling roller, which preferably is supported in a swiveling frame I), pivoted by a longitudinal bolt I to the lower end of a vertical bolt 2, which turns in a socket in the main frame. This permits either frame A or I) to rock laterallyY independently of the other, while the frame I), which constitutes thc steering-frame, may be turned to properly direct the course of the machine by means of a screw-rod E or by any other suitable means.

rIhe shaft I of the lawn roller or rollers F (the same being' in one or more sections) is supported on the frame I), and said roller also supports the cu tter-'frame G,which may swing on the shaft t or on pivots of the roller-frame. Upon the frame are supported the cutting' devices, consisting', as shown, of' the lixcd cutter-blade 6 and rotating cutter 7, the latter being driven by suitable devices, as gears, from the rotating' roller F. 'Ihe mower-frame is preferably provided at the front with ground-engaging bearings, shown as swiveled bearing-rolls 8, and at the rear of the knife 6 is a transverse roll 9. Normally the cutterframe is out of contact with the ground and is maintained in this position wherever the surface of the ground is level by means of an adjusting' device J, shown as consisting' of a screw-rod It), passing' through a swiveled nut 12 at the side of the frame Gr and through a swiveled bearing-block 13 on the frame I), a shoulder I4 of the rod bearing against the block 13, the rod being provided with a handle I5, by which it maybe turned t0 lift the rollers of the mower-frame free of the ground. The `frame A constitutes a platform which supports the operator. lf the mower-frame is brought onto an uneven surface, its bearing-rolls S by contact therewith will lift the forward part of the mowerframe, the rod It) sliding' in the bearing I3, while the roller t), in case the machine is moved backward, will have the same effect. In order to reduce thejars from changes of position, a spring IS may bc interposed between the nut 1I and bearing' I3, as shown in Fig. 5, said spring being of a strength to practically counterweight the cutter-frame, or this spring may be interposed between the frame I) and the cutter-frame, as shown in Fig. (3. Preferably, however, the cutterframe is counterlmlanccd by an adjustable block 0r weight Il, secured to arms of the cutter-frame, the weight of the block, added to that of the cutter-traine, serving' to add to the efficiency of the roller F. As the cutter-frame is almost wholly counterbalanced, there is but little stl'aiu on the adjusting' devices, and it will readily swing upward if the bearing-rolls S are brought temporarily upon the ground.

It will be seen that while the mower-frame is normally out of engagemcntwith the ground it is held in position adjusted to cut the grass at the desired height and that if the ground should be irregular the cutters are prevented from coming into engagement with the ground or from cutting' the grass too short.

Although I have shown the roller-frame pivoted to the main frame, it will be evident that, as in other lawn rollers and mowers, th'e roller-frame be part of the main frame. other guiding means being employed, or the traction-rollers may also be used for rolling.

rlhe main frame supports the motor IWI of suitable character and a liquid-fuel tank S.

vWithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the roller-frame having a platform for the operator, of a front roller, its axle, a cutter-frame, -and means whereby substantially its entire weight is earried on the said axle, a frameD also supported on said axle and connected by a universaljointed connection with the roller-frame, and means ad jacent to the operators position on the platform for swinging horizontally the said frame D, substantially as set forth.

2. The eombinationwith the roller-frame having a platform for the operator, of a front roller, its axle, a cutter-frame, and means whereby substantially its entire weight may be carried on the said axle, a frame D also supported on said axle and Connected by a universal -jointed connection with the rollerframe, and means supported by the frame D for limiting the movement of the cutter-frame toward the ground, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a lawn roller and mower, of a main frame, a pivoted front frame D, an adjustable eounterbalanced cutterframe, and means supported by the frame D for normally and positively limiting the downward movement of the cutter-frame toward the ground to secure the desired height of out Without limiting the free upward movement of such frame, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subseribing witnesses.

HOWARD C. SLATER.

Witnesses:

J. DE HAVEN LEDWARD, Jos. I-I. HINKsoN. 

